The Hunger Games - how it should have ended
by Hermione617
Summary: Soooo, this is my first story! It's my opinion of how the Hunger Games should have ended. I hope you enjoy it! Feedback is always appreciated )


This was it. All the torture, all the agony, this massive massacre would finally reach to an end. Many tributes have fallen...Foxface, Thresh, Rue... so smart, strong, determined. They shoudn't have. Now every time she will hear the willow song, tears will run down Katniss's cheeks. But none of this doesn't matter now. They 've won. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark are the victors of the 74th annual Hunger Games.

They looked around and for once felt comfortable. This was _their_ territory now. They owned the arena, this arena where 22 other teens, just like them, either died of natural causes, or brutally slaughtered by their fellow competitors.

The relief was huge when they realized that Kato was the last tribute who has fallen. They hugged each other so hard, they could barely breathe and started screaming in victory. This was it.

But now what? Should they wait for someone to get them, maybe the whole arena to burst into pieces, or, even another tribute who they have forgotten about to appear out of nowhere? They didn't dare mention that possibility.

As the excitement wore off, from nowhere, came this voice:

 _Attention tributes! There has been a slight change in the regulation allowing two tributes from the same district to be crowned victors. There can be only one winner. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor._

Katniss and Peeta looked at each other. All of a sudden, an awkwardness rose in the air like mist. Peeta sat down on the soft grass, looking a bit skeptical, leaving Katniss time to process the new data.

 _No,_ she thought, _I can't do this. I'd never live with myself if I did._

Then things got out of control.

"You know..." mumbled Katniss in her puddle of tears, "I never wanted any of this. I just wanted to save Prim...Believe me Peeta, if I could, I would burn this arena to ashes...I...I would." She looks up and screams at the top of her lungs: "You hear that, President Snow? If I could, I would tear this whole "board game" of yours apart!" Her heart is racing and strong gestures accompany her outburst." I hate the Hunger Games! They are the cruelest, most terrible way to control people! You let children and...and teenagers get killed just for the fun of it!" She stumbles to find the right words to describe this monstrosity. "Hundreds of families lost their beloved children, daughters, sons...even the victors go insane, knowing that they are praised for having killed other human beings! I am sick of...of putting on a happy mask, as if I'm in a reality show! I can't look happy, when I know that there is a very high probability of me dying! Don't make us go through that! It's not fair!" she panted and whispered it once more: "It's not fair..." She sits down and starts to cry. She was tired of crying silently, so she wouldn't disturb anyone, so she could convince her sister that everything was alright. No, no, everything was _not_ alright. She is in the Hunger Games and, in order to come out alive, she must kill a boy, who, meant nothing to her really, but was still a living soul. She sobbed for a long time, until she heard someone calling her. It was Peeta, who was silent all this time, thinking to himself, absolutely calm.

"Katniss" he called and she turned to him. He got up, took her by the hand, placed her in front of him with her bow in her hands and, after he stood a few feet away, he said: "Shoot me". She froze.

"Peeta, what are you...?"

"Shoot me" he cut in. "My absence in this world matters to no-one. Literally, no-one, not even my parents. I'm in love with you, Katniss. I love you, very much actually and, even though you've been trying very hard to convince everyone that you love me back, I'm not buying it" His voice didn't tremble, he was extremely calm and soothing. "And you have every right not to have feelings for me, I get it. But I care about you, so, shoot me and live. I'd rather die than to be without you anyway", he lost his steadiness. Nevertheless he took a deep breath and remained calm.

"I can't do this" she whispered "I can't...it won't be fair to you and I'd be giving them what they want: a massacre. I...I just can't..." She wiped her tears. "I may not love you, but I would never kill you."

"Katniss, please..."

"No!" she yelled and dropped her bow on the ground. "I'm not going to kill you! For God's sake Peeta, do you think I'm a murderer?!"

"No, I don't" he said firmly. He didn't seem confused about anything. He spoke of death almost as a real option. As if he _wanted_ to die.

Katniss sat down. She was about to go crazy. She didn't want to admit it, but, deep down, she would like to follow Peeta's plan. She wished that it were so simple, that she were a cold-blooded person and shot her teammate, who was in love with her, without a second thought. _No, I can't do this,_ she thought for the millionth time, _I'd never live with myself if I did._

Just when tears stopped running from her eyes, she felt another sob coming up and tried to suppress it, unsuccessfully. Her stomach was tied up, like a knot, and she didn't know what to do. Her teammate, however, was determined about what would happen.

"I'm waiting..."

"Stop it!" she cried "do you think this is some sort of a game? If I shoot you, you're gone, it's over, dead! There would be nothing I could do to change it! I will not do this!"

"Fine" he says and goes on his knees, in search for something on the ground. Katniss stands motionless, picking on the grass herself. It was nice to have just a moment of quiet. She would find a way to convince Peeta to stay alive in a minute. _I'll just cut some more and, when I make a little "bouquet", I..._

She heard chocking. She turned to see what happenedand sawPeeta, lying on the ground, his eyes closed and his mouth dirty with nightlock berries. The same ones that killed Foxface. Then a cannon went off and it hit her...

From the sky came the same voice as the one just minutes ago: _Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you_ _Katniss Everdeen, is the victor of the 74th annual Hunger Games!_

She didn't care, she sat there, crying her heart out. He cared for her so much, and she was never actually there for him. It hurt so much. She wanted to die.

A helicopter came to take her, almost dragging her, denying to take Peeta along.

The rest was just a blur to Katniss. The ride, her arrival to District 12, the cheering…she barely greeted her sister, who she so willingly sacrificed herself for. She never really felt a true connection with Peeta, but she was so infuriated with his death, with this cruelty, with the Hunger Games.

Before this whole thing ever began, she often heard that winning the Hunger Games is worse than losing. She couldn't understand it then, but now, a victor herself, she knows that the Hunger Games have truly destroyed her. When she began to think about it, she went insane. You are loved and applauded because you managed to escape from a massive slaughter, by killing other people.

She was lying in bed, contemplating about the past few days, when Prim walked in her room. She sat on the bed, with that annoying cat in her hands. Katniss didn't care. She was grateful to be alive and watch her sister stroke the feline.

They both stayed silent. After a while, Prim says: "I'm so happy you came back. At times I thought that you wouldn't be able to come back, but I feel stupid for thinking that. Katniss, never volunteer for me again", she says, with tears streaming down her eyes and hugged her sister.

 _It's so unfair…_ thought Katniss, who started crying too.


End file.
